2014 USO Early Discussion & Draw

[MargaretMcAleer]

^ Thanks Kiu I am still having trouble with my computer and staying on sites,good news my new computer will be arriving tomorrow....Yay!!!!!!

 

[colleen66]

Mealnie Oudin, Tamira Paszeck, Michelle De Britto, Alla Kudiretsava are some names
that I could recognize in the qualifying draw.

So, nowadays Melanie has to win qualifying just to get to play. Did she do anything
of note after that USO run.

I heard that her mother had an affair with her coach and so her parents had to divorce
and the whole family situation got into a mess. I don't know whether any of it is true though.

Melanie has won a grand slam in mixed doubles. I know she had a muscle injury that may of been the result of over-training.

 

[Si Si Simona]

Today is one day after Simona lost R1 in NH and I have just voted

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I have voted for Serena to win the USO.

I have to agree with Sundaymorningguy post that Serena needs to be focused from round 1,I dont want to see another early exit at another Grand Slam.I also think,Serena finally winning Cinncy will give her more confidence going into the last Major for the year.

 

[Si Si Simona]

I have voted for Serena to win the USO.

I have to agree with Sundaymorningguy post that Serena needs to be focused from round 1,I dont want to see another early exit at another Grand Slam.I also think,Serena finally winning Cinncy will give her more confidence going into the last Major for the year.

more confidence can be a tricky deceiving thing. She needs balance more than anything imo. Mental stability. She can get very anxious during matches when too much confidence is not working.
of course that everyone will vote for her, it makes sense. She is the greatest of all times for me, but I have another agenda this time. Its my feeling, just me.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

^ Serena can be her her own worst enemy at times,she puts way too much pressure on herself at times
Serena has always been a emotional player.I still feel her confidence has been lacking this year,due to her inconsistant play,especially at GS tournaments.Winning Cinncy still bodes well for Serena going into the last major this year.

 

[Si Si Simona]

I have voted for Serena to win the USO.

your vote doesnt show. Have you clicked the vote button?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

^ Yes....I am having problems with my computer.I am getting a new one later today thank goodness

 

[Si Si Simona]

@ kskate2,
You should have added Caro. I think she got 3 votes already (in others).
She is my no.4 seed, in same place as Ana. I would give only Serena, Simo, and Masha a better chance than Caro. All other players look worse than Caro at present.

 

[kskate2]

I went with the rankings Si. There's only 10 fields open in the poll. I mean if I was going off form, Caro and Venus would be in the list and Petra and JJ would not.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Well there are some players that benefit from Li's absence. Mainly Radwanska and Ana as Radwanska will be seeded 4 and Ana seeded 8. Helps slightly improve their chances.

 

[HawkEye]

In regards to Halep,I am not in favour of Top players playing a event just before a Major,I understand the reason why Halep is playing in New Haven.Hopefully next year,Halep and her team will look closely at her playing schedule.

I agree. None of the women (or men) playing this week will win the USO.

Can anyone think of an example of someone winning it after playing the week right before?

Petra was playing Eastborn each time she won Wimbledon. In 2011 she was playing semifinals and finals both on Sunday and lost the finals to Bartoli. This year she withdrew in the quarters.

 

[colleen66]

I have voted for Serena to win the USO.

I have to agree with Sundaymorningguy post that Serena needs to be focused from round 1,I dont want to see another early exit at another Grand Slam.I also think,Serena finally winning Cinncy will give her more confidence going into the last Major for the year.

She mentioned during one of her post-match interviews during the last tournament that she needs to focus on her first round. She has not been losing to players in the top 10, but to lower ranked players in early rounds. This is a phenomena that she has been susceptible to in the past. Once she sinks her teeth into a tournament (second week of slams) she is usually invincible and her winning percentage corroborates that fact.

 

[colleen66]

I voted for Serena once again. So far 0 for 3. She does seem more relaxed and focused. I do not think Vika is 100% healthy and Na Li is not playing. I do not see Aga, Jelena or Simona winning this tournament. I love Simona, but was unsettled by how easily Maria blasted her off the court during the big points. Domi and Genie are both in funks and are bowing under the weight of being favorites in big tournaments. Petra? Who knows? She could flame out in first round or win it all without dropping a set. Unfortunately she is more likely to flame out based on her past history. A healthy Venus could make things very interesting. The same goes for a resurgent Caroline who has been very impressive in previous weeks. This leaves Ana and Maria. Maria is going for her first and second serves, but is hitting many double-faults and usually at the worst moments. Her "break-down" during the semi-final against Ana was unusual. Ana is playing some great tennis and like Venus could make things very interesting.

 

[kskate2]

As I said at Wimbledon, Maria is not winning the USO. Her game has transformed so much for clay that she doesn't have time to setup her powerful shots on the faster surface. While she can hit big at times, she's often out of position on a fast HC and she over hits. That's why she has so many UE's in these matches.

The serve is more of an issue on grass and HC than the clay. She can work the point on clay, but on faster surfaces, she's not controlling the rallies as much and that's why a Kerber, CSN and even Ana could defeat her.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

If not Serena, it will be Caro. Hey, Rory won a major after dumping her and she needs to
prove that she can win a major too after the break-up.

I do realize that she has not won any before the break-up as well, but there is a first
time for everything.

But, she won't take out Serena and that needs to be done by a surprise player as usual.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

went for bouchard to carry on her major form this year..(not her masters form though clearly lol).

 

[tenisplayrla08]

I went with Serena, which still has the element of being the safe choice, but of course isn't as safe a pick as it once was.
I'd agree with most of the other people here and say the other real contenders are Halep, Sharapova, Kvitova, Bouchard, and Ivanovic. Some above have mentioned Wozniacki, and I can include her here, though I guess I didn't naturally on my own because I don't like her AND I don't believer in her. But she does seem to be having a renaissance, as I mentioned in a recent post, though she hasn't reached the heights of her former mate. In the US, that Kvitova contender status is suspect, but I'm just waiting for the day she goes off on everyone and just crushes everyone in sight, other than Serena at her best, who I don't think she could crush, but I do think she could beat. So she's more of just a contender pick from me rather than agreeing with everyone else.

Still, I think Serena has done what she's done the last 3 years and really found or sharpened her game in the run up to the US Open. I think with two titles and a semi, she has to be the favorite. But, she won Rome before the French and Brisbane for the AO.... sooo.... yeah....
But the fast hard courts seem to suit her best. Other than maybe when she was at her best at Wimbledon. But we're not seeing that anymore... sooo fast hard courts it is.

And..... Halep is the #2 seed and I think the second most likely choice to win it. I don't want to see that. But... he pattern this year has been, lose early at a tournament right before a slam, then go far in that ensuing slam. She's held that pattern now with New Haven. We'll see how she does.

Anything else I have to say could be thrown out and probably will be thrown out by the draw. So we'll wait for that and see what it says.

 

[golds girl]

I liked what Serena had to say after Cincy in her very long post-match interview with Evert and Fernandez. There was a lot of self-awareness about lost confidence and regaining some of that and also not being so hard on herself so that she's paralysed.
I really need to see that draw but I'm going with Serena for the U.S. Open because I think some of those mental issues are being sorted out.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I liked what Serena had to say after Cincy in her very long post-match interview with Evert and Fernandez. There was a lot of self-awareness about lost confidence and regaining some of that and also not being so hard on herself so that she's paralysed.
I really need to see that draw but I'm going with Serena for the U.S. Open because I think some of those mental issues are being sorted out.

Yeah I also heard that interview after Serena won Cinncy,I have to agree with you,there was a lot of self-awareness about lost confidence and regaining some of that and also not being so hard on herself so that she's paraylsed.I really feel Serena winning Cinncy does bode well for her going into the USO.I have always thought Serena has always been hard on herself. Nice to see you back posting by the way.